The Man Behind The Suits
by NitzMalfoy
Summary: A story of how Jack Harkness manages to peel off the layers that surround the man called Ianto Jones. Starts right after 'Cyberwoman'. Janto action in the future
1. Chapter 1

Hi guys! New story! This one's more serious than my other works. Not that there won't be any humour, it's just that I'm trying to do a deep character analysis (kinda) The pairings are all canon though there might be a bit more janto :) But then, that's something you people wouldn't mind, right?

A million thanks to my beta HydroJen for her help. She thinks this is better than 'Paradise Lost' so I hope you guys like it as well

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Torchwood, the characters or anything else that you can recognize.

* * *

_Darkness is all I see_

_The air seems to be closing in on me_

_I scream out, trying to find a way_

_A way out, out of this place_

_Everywhere, fear stands tall_

_From far away, a voice calls_

_The cold creeps through my skin_

_Yet it feels like I'm burning_

_A cavern so damp and deep_

_Loneliness, no company to keep_

_So many sorrows and guilts quell_

_I thrash my arms, call out for help_

_I'm falling,_

_I'm falling into the Darkness_

Ianto Jones was throwing the last bit of garbage into the bin when Jack called out. "Ianto, my office, now." There was no anger in the voice, no commanding tone, just the detachment. Maybe, it was pain being disguised by indifference but the Welshman couldn't have cared less.

He knew this was coming. With heavy steps, he made his way to the Captain office wondering whether he would be killed or Retconned. Most probably, it'd be Retcon, if Jack wanted to kill him he'd have done that when he killed Lisa. Lisa, it hurt to think of her, his wounds were too fresh. But he put it all aside as he went to receive his punishment, the punishment for daring to love.

When he entered the office, Jack was seated behind his desk, elbows resting on the wooden table, hands entwined.

"Sir?" Ianto said, stepping in.

"Sit down Ianto," Jack said, gesturing to the chairs opposite to the immortal. Taking a deep breath he looked at Ianto._ Keep it short, don't show any emotion, don't make it sound too harsh_, he thought to himself as he proceeded to tell the Welshman of his suspension. "You have been suspended from Torchwood for a month. The first Monday after that, I want you here in the Hub on time," he said a finality in his voice. But on afterthought, he added - "And, don't bother with dinner tonight, I'll stop by at your flat in the evening with something. Now go home, rest for a while"

The tone of Jack's voice left no room for argument. Ianto gave a quick nod and left. He did not let his tears show until he was back at his apartment.

-XxX-

As soon as Ianto left his office, shutting the door behind him, Jack slumped into his chair. He held his head in his hands, still unable to believe that Ianto had been betraying him all this while. All those flirtatious 'sirs', their light banter full of innuendoes, those seemingly accidental, feathersoft touches - they were all false.

At first, the Captain had been angry. He'd trusted Ianto the most, in all of his team. Not just because they were on their way to shagging, but because he'd liked the man himself. Ianto Jones had intrigued him, excited him but at the same time, this was the very man who brought Jack back on earth when he got too self-absorbed and uncaring. No, they might never have shouting matches like with Owen or any long disagreements like Gwen, he never gave silent disapproving looks like Toshiko or angry, powerful comments like Suzie. Ianto made him realize his mistakes just by that light smile and calm look. He always knew what Jack wanted, bringing him his coffee just a moment before the call of 'Ianto' left the Captain's lips, getting all his clothes dry-cleaned, getting the archives in perfect order - retrieving information from the Torchwood files had never been easier in Jack's tenure. The perfect butler, the one who listened to him when Jack felt like pouring out his melancholic memories out, Ianto Jones was the one he could have relied on. In fact, this fiasco made Jack wonder how faithful the rest of his team was?

But as he sat alone in his office, the anger gave way to sadness and confusion.

Jack realized that Ianto had been right. Did he ever care to say - 'Morning Ianto' or 'How are you today, Ianto?" No, he never did. Ianto was always there for the team but they'd never been there for him. No one ever cared about the man. The youngest member of the team, who'd seen so much death, destruction, pain in such a young age.

He grieved for Ianto's loss. He understood the power of love and all that it could make you do. He knew how far one could go to protect their love. It was always the same. As cliché as it might sound, hadn't Romeo and Juliet died for each other? There were very few men who could sacrifice someone they truly loved for the sake of greater good. Wasn't he himself alive today because Rose had loved him?

No, what Ianto did was not a crime. If he punished the Welshman for what he did, it would be an insult, it would be a crime in itself. All it would do was end Ianto's faith in love. How could he punish him for loving someone with all his heart?

Gwen said it'd be the best to Retcon him and let him lead a _normal _life. But Jack couldn't do that. He couldn't let Ianto go, he knew that the Welshman was special. Owen and Tosh both felt that Ianto deserved a second chance. He knew that they both felt that Ianto had been right. They treated him like shit, even though it was unknowingly. After talking to the team, Jack had come to the decision of suspending Ianto. This would give the archivist some time to grieve as well as to get ready for a new life.

He'd make it a point to visit him daily and understand the real man behind those suits.

-XxX-

Toshiko sat at her desk, unable to concentrate on the program she'd been working on. Her mind kept drifting to thoughts of Ianto. He'd been so right, he cleaned their shit, without any conditions, but they never gave him a thought. She'd just ignored him all this while. Never cared to say thanks when she got her favourite cookies with the coffee. No, she treated him like he was invisible. How could she have been so cold? The Japanese girl knew that Jack would give him another chance. This time, she promised herself, she'd make amends.

-XxX-

Owen threw away his latex gloves into the bin as he finished the autopsy. He couldn't help feel sorry for Ianto. He knew he hadn't treated him well. The others just forgot about him but he? He'd always remembered the young Welshman and made it a point to send a spiteful comment his way, just for sake of some fun. Had they been more considerate, maybe Ianto would have thought of asking them for help. But sadly, they had not been so.

Hell, Owen had been Ianto's doctor! He should have been attentive enough to see any signs of tension, PTSD or anything! In fact, considering the situation, Owen should have been the one to help out the young man. Had he himself not suffered the same loss? Ianto losing Lisa was the same as him losing Katie. However, the past was gone but he'd make sure to set things right this time. Yes, he would, because life rarely gave you a chance to redeem your actions. Now that he had a chance, he wouldn't let it go.

-XxX-

Gwen sat at her workstation, recalling the recent incidents. So much had chanced in such little time. She'd felt so many emotions, all at the same time - fear, anger, grief and even arousal. The cyberwoman placing her in the conversion unit, Ianto's betrayal, Jack dying, being caught in the morgue drawer with Owen, his hard-on digging in her thigh, Ianto hitting Jack, Jack threatening to execute Ianto, Ianto sitting by the dead cyberwoman, her conversstion with Jack, there was a myriad of sentiments flowing inside her. When she asked Jack if he'd really have shot Ianto, she could make out the fallacy in his answer, and she couldn't help feeling a bit jealous; why it was so, she did not know. She urged Jack to Retcon Ianto, let him lead a better life, devoid of the daily horrors they witnessed but she knew from the look in his eyes that he wouldn't do it. Unable to make any sense out of the thoughts running through her mind, she just lay her head down on her desk and closed her eyes.

-XxX-

Tears rolled down Ianto's cheeks, unashamedly as he sat on the floor of his bedroom, slumped against the wall. Again and again, he went through the photo albums, unable to believe that she was gone. His Lisa, who he had loved with all his heart, would never talk to him again. He could hear her laugh in his head, see that beautiful smile as if she was there with him, feel the touch of her skin against his own.

How she had smiled and said yes immediately when he finally found the courage to ask her out, how they'd walked hand in hand before Ianto dropped her home after their first date, how she would blush and pout when she saw Ianto staring at her, he ran through all the memories. Memories were all he had now that Jack had so ruthlessly made him kill his love. Anger flared inside him as he relived the moment of Lisa's death. But somehow, Ianto could bring himself to hate Jack. However, his mind was too much in distress to ask questions of what, why and how. So he just lay there, the album clutched to his chest.

-XxX-

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So, what say? Review and let me know :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer : **I don't own Torchwood.

**A/N: **A big thanks to all my reviewers, alerters and favouritors (is that a word?) Also, a million thanks to my beta HydroJen

_Yet each man kills the thing he loves,_

_By each let this be heard,_

_Some do it with a bitter look,_

_Some with a flattering word._

_The coward does it with a kiss,_

_The brave man with a sword!_

_Some kill their love when they are young,_

_And some when they are old;_

_Some strangle with the hands of Lust,_

_Some with the hands of Gold:_

_The kindest use a knife, because_

_The dead so soon grow cold._

_Some love too little, some too long_

_Some sell, and others buy;_

_Some do the deed with many tears,_

_And some without a sigh:_

_For each man kills the thing he loves,_

_Yet each man does not die._

_- The Ballad Of Reading Goal, Oscar Wilde_

"Guys, you're all too worked up, go home early today," Jack ordered his team at four 'o' clock. "Tosh, set the Rift Alarm to my mobile, everyone keep your mobiles on and with you all the time. Go, relax for a while."

"Sure thing!" called out Owen from the autopsy bay as he picked up his bag.

Tosh hit a few keys on her keyboard before getting up. "There, all done. You'll get an alert if there's any Rift activity. Though, mind you, you might get lots of false alarms as well. The programme can't differentiate between dangerous and safe spikes."

"That's fine, I'll manage. Thanks Tosh."

As the other two walked out of the cog door, Gwen went up to Jack. "You sure you don't want me to stay here?"

"No Gwen, you don't need to stay here, go home and make a nice dinner for Rhys. Enjoy the night."

"You asked Toshiko to set the alarms on your mobile; you going somewhere?"

"Yeah, I'm going to Ianto's. Better check on him."

"Oh- oh," Gwen mumbled, nodding to herself. "So, you're not going to Retcon him then?"

"No, I'm not. He'll be back here after a month."

"And he will be safe then?" Gwen asked cocking her head to a side.

"Gwen, understand this - Ianto has not really committed a crime. In fact, I think all this, it just showed how loyal he can be. If I have a chance to have someone like him on my team, I'm not going to let it go," Jack said confidently.

"Not a crime? Jack! That cyber girlfriend of his almost killed us all! I... I was almost converted!"

"Almost, Gwen, almost. And that was because of the cyberwoman, not Ianto... and not Lisa. It was the cyber implants in her that made her do what she did. As for what Ianto did, it was all out of love. You'll understand that when you see _your_ boyfriend in danger. But that's all irrelevant now, forget it all, go home to Rhys."

Gwen turned around like a scolded child and went to pick up her things.

-XxX-

Owen glanced around in the club, looking for someone to shag. A good lay was what he needed right now so that he could forget everything for a while.

He spotted a fine-looking brunette at the bar and made his way towards her.

-XxX-

Tosh put on some light music and lay in her bed thinking about Ianto. He was such a good man and she hoped with all her heart that he'd be fine.

-XxX-

As he stood at Ianto's doorstep, Jack took out the duplicate key to the Welshman's flat that he kept for emergencies, but decided against using it and knocked on the door instead.

When there was no response even after five minutes, Jack used his key and threw the door open. Letting the food bags fall to the floor, the Captain rushed in.

"Ianto? Ianto!" he cried out as he looked into all the rooms. The worry on his face changed to a soft smile when he opened the bedroom door and found his archivist sleeping on the floor, a photo album clutched against his chest and a few more lying around.

The Welshman looked so vulnerable, so much younger than his twenty-five years, so calm and peaceful. His chest welled up and down, rhythmically. Jack allowed himself another smile before he crouched next to the young man.

"Ianto? Wake up, Ianto," he whispered.

-XxX-

"Yes! Harder! Yeah! Like that!" cried out the brunette. Owen tried to remember her name but couldn't. It was just fine with him because in his mind, he was fucking Gwen. As soon as he reached his orgasm, he pulled out of her, removed the condom and walked out of the toilet.

-XxX-

Tosh lay still, staring at the ceiling. She wished she had someone to talk to, someone who'd hold her for the night, take care of her. She would normally have given Jack a call and talked to him for a while but today she knew that the Captain would be with Ianto. So, all alone, she tried to fall asleep.

-XxX-

Gwen lay in her bed, twisting and turning, waiting for Rhys to come back home. She felt guilty for having fought with him on the phone.

_Hey, love."_

_"Gwen, hello lovely. Listen, I was just going to call you. I'm gunna be here till late, so don't wait up for me."_

_"What do you mean, late? I came home early, so that 'we' could have some quality time, but no, your work comes first."_

_"Gwen, your work always comes first. You're always out till late, but one night, when I work overtime, you blame me for ignoring you," he said before hanging up._

She knew that it was her own frustration that she had vented out at her boyfriend. Fidgeting again, she fell asleep, dreaming of naked Owens, Jacks and Rhys's being chased by cybermen.

-XxX-

"I didn't know what you'd want to have but I figured you like Chinese, so..." Jack trailed off. "Why don't you have a shower while I set up the dinner?" he suggested, walking out of the bedroom, trying not to notice how beautiful Ianto was and how inviting the bed looked.

However, he had hardly taken a step when Ianto grabbed his shoulders from behind, turned him and pushed him into the wall. "YOU MADE ME KILL HER! YOU! YOU MADE ME SHOOT HER AND NOW YOU COME AND ACT ALL CIVIL WANTING A NICE DINNER? What do you expect, Jack? I'll say 'yeah sure, let's forget that my girlfriend just died, that I killed her, because of you, and let's have some beer, Chinese, a nice movie? What did you expect, you bastard? Why don't you fucking leave me alone? Why don't you just... " The rest was lost in the Welshman's sobs. Despite the resistance, Jack pulled Ianto close and wrapped his arms around the young man, as both of then cried together.

When he felt Ianto calm down, Jack pulled away and held the Welshman at his shoulders. "Go have a quick shower, we'll talk after that, please?"

Too tired to argue, Ianto nodded and did as he was told.


	3. Chapter 3

Hi everyone, here's another chapter of Man Behind The Suits. Please read and reivew.

A big thanks to my beta HydroJen and to all those who reviewed/ favorited/ added it on alert list. Also, I'm sorry for anyone who read this chapter with the blurbs; by mistake, I posted the document which my beta had sent without deleting those comments.

As Ianto went into the bathroom, Jack fixed up the dinner for the two of them. He wondered what he was going to say to Ianto. _Brilliant! You've lived a hundred years and now a 21st century guy has got you speechless_, he thought sarcastically.

_What if I end up hurt him even more rather than helping him?_ For a moment, Jack contemplated leaving, thinking of sending a therapist over. But somehow, he couldn't. He just couldn't leave the Welshman alone in this state. Ianto was a friend, if nothing more, and Jack had to stand by him in adversity. A therapist could listen to Ianto's problems and prescribe pills to heal his mind and body but to heal the young man's heart was Jack's responsibility.

-XxX-

Ianto sagged against the wall, letting the water fall over his naked form. He'd barely gotten any time to think ever since he'd come home. He'd been so absorbed in his memories of Lisa. Ianto closed his eyes and tried to get the sad thoughts out of his mind. He wouldn't let his weakness show, not in front of Jack, not after that short lapse of lack of self-control.

The Welshman wondered why was Jack doing all this. Why was he even here? What was Ianto supposed to do? There were so many questions and but so little answers. He wondered if his life would ever be right again. Going through the million reasons that Jack could have for coming here, Ianto finally found a plausible one. Now that he thought about it, it seemed obvious, really; Jack was here to Retcon him. That's why the dinner, it won't seem suspicious that way, not to Ianto at least, the team surely knew 's why Jack had brought dinner, it would be less suspicious that way, to Ianto at least. The team surely knew already._ That way, I wouldn't have a chance to try and keep my memories_, thought Ianto bitterly.

-XxX-

It had been quite a long time since Ianto had gone to the bathroom. Jack was starting to get worried.Owen had warned him about the suicidal tendencies Ianto might experience; what if he was right now? What if- Jack instantly rushed back to the Welshman's bedroom and knocked on the bathroom door, Ianto wouldn't appreciate it if Jack walked in on him showering and he definitely wouldn't approve of the unnecessary damage. He could hear the shower running but that drowned all other sounds.

"Ianto? Ianto, are you there? You okay?" he called out, the panic clear in his voice. "Ianto! Please answer me!"

"I'm fine," Ianto called back, shutting down the shower. "If you thought that I'd drowned in my bath tub or something, then let me tell you that I haven't and I don't have any intention to."

"Oh, okay, thanks. I'll just be waiting for you outside then. The dinner's ready."

-XxX-

When Ianto came to the living room, he found Jack browsing through his CD collection. The Welshman cleared his throat to inform the other man of his presence.

"Oh, you're here, come on," Jack gestured to the dining table, taking in the sight of the archivist in the jumper and t-shirt, his hair still wet from the shower and sticking at odd angles. "I was just looking for a movie to watch."

Ianto took a deep breath and settled down in a chair as Jack took a seat next to him. "Why?" On getting a confused look, Ianto explained himself. "Why all this?" he inquired, gesturing at the dinner. "Why act like this when in the end all you want to do is make me forget?"

"What?" Jack cried out, dumb-founded. "You think I'm gunna Retcon you?"

"You're not?"

"No! Not at all! If I wanted to then I would have done it at the hub itself! I – I just wanted to apologize, I know we all treated you very badly, I- I'm sorry. But I just want you to give me another chance, trust me Ianto, I'll make amends for not paying attention to your requirements. I – Maybe if I'd cared more, you would have found it easier to talk to me about it, maybe we would have found another way, I – I'm just so very sorry Ianto."

"That's not really relevant now, is it?" Ianto replied bitterly. "All that could have been? The truth is that I betrayed you and I paid the price by losing Lisa and now by this suspension, though I don't understand why you're breaking the rules by calling me back to work."

Jack closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "No, you did not betray me. Well, in a way you did, but you yourself said that your loyalty wasn't to me. Killing the Cyberwoman, that wasn't your punishment, nor is this. That Cyberwoman, she wasn't your Lisa, Ianto, she ceased being Lisa the moment she got those implants. She was just using Lisa's memories to get your help. Think about it, would the Lisa you knew have killed people so ruthlessly? Would she have attempted to kill you? Hurt you?"

Ianto shook his head, realizing that Jack was right. He suddenly started shaking. The Captain saw this and wound his arm around the Welshman, placing his other hand on Ianto's cheek. "It's okay, it's okay Yan," he muttered. The Welshman leaned into Jack's touch, too weak to stay put on his own.

"She was using me all along, she never loved me. I – I believed her, I thought she was Lisa, she wanted me, she needed me – she – she said she wanted to be human again – she didn't want to be like that – she -" Ianto mumbled into Jack's chest. The Captain made soothing patterns onto his back, muttering incoherencies into the Welshman's ear.

-XxX-

After dinner, the two sat perched on the sofa watching the ;latest Bond film.

"You said that this suspension isn't a punishment?" Ianto asked suddenly.

"Ianto, you did not commit a crime, all you wanted to do was save someone you loved, so why would there be a need for a punishment?" Jack answered. "I told you to come to work after a month because I wanted you to have time to grieve, time to come to terms with all this. Moreover, you were always at the hub earlier. You're still so young, Ianto, get a hang of normal life. Go out to clubs, bars, societies or whatever, redecorate your flat, make new friends, enjoy life. Make Torchwood your average nine to five job, not a 24 hour thing."

"I've not known anything except Torchwood, not since I left the Uni. I wouldn't know what to do in all this time."

"Hang out with me for a few days then, let me introduce you to a few people. Go out Gwen or Tosh or Owen sometimes," Jack suggested. "He really cares, you know, he'll never admit it but he cares," Jack added when Ianto raised an eyebrow at Owen's name. "If you want, we can go out for lunch somewhere tomorrow?"

"Can we do that some other time, no offense but – "

"Sure, it's fine. I understand. But I'll be here with dinner tomorrow night again, okay?"

Ianto nodded with a slight smile on his face.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hey guys sorry for the delay I can't update very often these days but I'll try to give you the next chapter ASAP

Ianto flipped through the TV channels; it wasn't as if he wanted to watch TV, it was just a better way to pass time than to sit alone. It had been a week since his suspension had started. Jack, as he had promised, was there at the Welshman's doorstep every night for dinner. But to tell the truth, Ianto had started liking the Captain's company. In fact, as he sat here alone, Ianto wished Jack had made that offer to hang out again. He felt too lonely now; now that there was no hope, no future that he could cling on to. Moreover, it was only during his time with Jack that he was able to keep thoughts of Lisa away.

In the first two days of suspension, Ianto had been miserable to say the least. All he did was clutch onto his old memories and cry. But then something Jack said changed that. All the immortal had to say was that "Lisa wouldn't have wanted you give up everything like this; neither do I." Ianto wondered whose expectations had changed his mind but did it really matter? _Yes_, a small voice said inside his mind, _because it was what Jack wanted, not Lisa. Lisa's gone. _But after all this time of pretences and facades, Ianto could easily shut his mind and focus on other things. _Why close the doors to these thoughts?_ his mind asked. _Because Lisa just died, she deserves to be remembered; she loved me, it's betrayal if I –_he answered but he could sense the hollowness there. No, it couldn't be, he couldn't be falling for Captain Jack Harkness. No, he couldn't.

Ianto's thought process was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. Pretty sure that it must be Jack (who else ever came to visit him; he had no friends, he'd alienated his sister), Ianto went and opened the door, surprised (putting it mildly) to see Owen standing in front of him.

"Oh, Owen, come in," he offered.

"Yeah, I came in to check on you. Ya know, standard medical procedures and all that," Owen said as he took a seat and looked around. The place was neat and tidy, as expected from Ianto; a few showpieces but no photographs, Owen noted.

"Coffee?" Ianto asked, nodding in response to Owen's statement.

"Sure."

-XxX-

"Okay, so there's not much to be worried about but you need to start eating well, you're too weak. Are you even eating at all?"

"Well," Ianto answered sheepishly. "I have a proper dinner."

"What about lunch and breakfast, Teaboy?"

"Don't feel like it."

"Listen, I don't care whether or not you feel like it; all I know is you're having three proper meals daily now, take more of salads and stuff if you don't like a heavy meal. I don't want Jack kicking my arse because you can't bloody bring yourself to eat, get that?" Ianto smiled in his heart, understanding what Jack meant by Owen caring about him. "So that's it for now. I guess I'll see you in a week or so for your next examination. Or maybe earlier, ya know, if you wanna go for drinks sometime?"

"Uh- sure. How about tomorrow evening? If you don't have any plans, that is."

"Yeah, tomorrow it is then. See you."

-XxX-

At dinnertime, Jack was faithfully there at Ianto's apartment. However, Ianto noted that he hadn't brought any food with him. Understanding Ianto's puzzlement, Jack explained. "I thought, maybe we could go out somewhere for dinner tonight. It's been a week and you haven't been out at all. So, would you like to?"

"Yeah, sure. Just wait for a minute," Ianto said as he rushed in and changed into a jeans and T-shirt from his age old pyjamas.

Half an hour later, the two of them sat in a small Italian restaurant, enjoying their meal and each other's company.

"How's everything going at the hub?" Ianto asked.

"Well, things are running fine but the truth is that you spoilt us. We try cleaning up our own mess but the hub always seems to be a bit clustered. Owen's completely useless at administering Retcon, as is Gwen; they made a guy forget his girlfriend! That was fun to watch," Jack smiled as he remembered the event. "As for me, you already know that I was the one who Retconned Gwen, or rather tried to. These days, Tosh is doing it but you're the master. And most importantly, I plan to sue Starbucks, I'm sure they've been sending me some muddy water instead of coffee."

"Come on, they aren't that bad, Jack!" Jack smiled as Ianto addressed him by his name. Even on suspension, Ianto had continued calling him Sir. "Oh, I mean Sir," Ianto corrected himself on seeing Jack smile.

"Ianto, you can use at least my name when you're on suspension; we're both off-duty right now. And the coffee is _horrible_. Owen and Tosh agree with me about this. I literally fell asleep on my desk yesterday."

"Wait, who gets the coffee?"

"Gwen," Jack replied.

"I guess that's why your coffee tastes crap."

"You're suggesting that our PC Cooper's hands turn the coffee into something murky?"

"No, I didn't mean that!" Ianto quickly said, blushing slightly. _Though I wouldn't disregard the possibility_, he thought to himself. "I meant to say that Gwen drinks decaf; she wouldn't know your choice so she brings the same for everyone."

"Well, Ianto Jones, you solved our biggest problem," Jack said, smiling at the young man. "But still, I miss _your_ coffee."

"How about some coffee after dinner, then?"

"That would be perfect."


	5. Chapter 5

_Thanks a lot to wonderful Hydrogen for being such a great beta._

* * *

Ianto placed the two coffee mugs on the table and came to sit on the same couch as Jack but leaving enough space to fit in another person.

Jack sighed inwardly but said nothing. Of course, he couldn't get Ianto to trust him that much in just a few days but he still wished that the Welshman would come closer to him - both emotionally and physically.

Picking up his coffee, Jack studied the young man before him. Being dressed in jeans these days, rather than his suits, Ianto looked even younger than usual. Behind his steely eyes, Jack could sense a hint of innocence, waiting to be liberated. Jack knew that the Ianto they had all known was merely a pretence, the real man behind him had always been hidden. The immortal hoped that he would be able to help the Welshman, make him open up, even if a little bit.

Ianto stole a glance at the Captain as he thought of Lisa. Despite knowing that this man was responsible for Lisa's death, Ianto couldn't bring himself to hate Jack. Maybe because he knew that Jack had done the right thing; maybe because he knew that it hadn't been easy for Jack either. The rest of the Torchwood team, especially Gwen, thought Jack to be a cold-hearted bastard but Ianto knew otherwise. He'd seen the pain in Jack's eyes when he killed a creature; he'd seen a part of Jack die when Suzie took the bullet; in his overtime hours, he'd seen Jack shed silent tears as he stood by the morgue drawers where deceased Torchwood employees lay. He'd seen a different side of Jack Harkness and he knew that the immortal was not a murderer by choice. He'd learnt to hide his emotions over his long tenure in Torchwood but it didn't mean he had numbed himself. No, he could not hate Jack for taking a life to protect a million others. That was the moment when Ianto Jones decided to submit himself, heart and soul, to Captain Jack Harkness.

"It hurts; hurts like hell," he whispered. Tears formed in the corners of his eyes. Jack didn't understand where this confession came from but he realized how much strength it must have taken for Ianto to admit this fact.

He scooted over, closer to the Welshman and put an arm around his shoulders. "I know," he whispered back, his face buried in the other man's hair. Placing a small kiss on Ianto's temple, Jack drew small circles on his back to soothe him. "I know how much it pains. But that doesn't mean that it's like this forever; it changes. Trust me, it does get better."

"I don't think it'll ever go away Jack. I can't forget her," Ianto said softly.

"No, the pain never goes away," Jack told him. "But with time, you become strong enough to bear it. Think of it, Yan, would the Lisa you knew, the Lisa you loved, would she have wanted you to spend the rest of your life like this? No Ianto, she wouldn't. She'd have wanted you to get on with life. I'm not telling you to forget her, but all I want you to do is to remember her as she was before Canary Wharf. This cyberwoman - she wasn't the girl you loved, she was just decieving you, using you to get her work done. Just don't mix these memories with those of your time spent with Lisa."

A while later, Jack found the younger man asleep in his arms. The immortal lifted Ianto and carried him to the bedroom, glad to find that the Welshman had finally put on some weight.

Having laid the young man in bed and set him comfortably in the duvet, Jack himself settled in an armchair that stood in a corner in the bedroom and picked up a magazine to read while he watched over Ianto.

In his sleep, Ianto looked just like any other twenty-five year old; any other twenty-five year old whose life had not been marred by Torchwood. The peaceful expressions gave no hints of the grief that surrounded the young man, his innocent face did not let his real matureness show. With these thoughts in his mind, Jack too drifted off to sleep.

-XxX-


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys. I know it's been really really long so in apology, I decided to post 2 chapters together. When I started the fic, I tried to consider every character's PoV but that didn't last. However, Ive tried that again in the next chapter and hopefully it is good enough. Also, I've tried my best to keep Gwen-bashing in check but I'm not so sure if I've been successful. Lastly, reviews are love so please let me know what you think :)**

_Each time you look around_  
_And see a world so safe and sound_  
_Be sure to acknowledge how lucky you are_  
_Be sure to thank that Higher Power_  
_'Cause there are souls not so fortunate_  
_Who have seen the world's dangers great_  
_Eyes wide, they've traveled far_  
_Unwilling, seen a starry shower_  
_A crack in the mind they endured_  
_A broken soul, feeling so unsure_  
_If ever such a man you meet_  
_With kindness and love you should greet_  
_Save them from world's questioning eyes_  
_Bring him here, free from worldly vice_

"Ianto, be ready in ten minutes, I'm coming to pick you up. Got work to do," Jack said in one breath over the phone. Ianto opened his mouth to reply but the Captain had already hung up.

Sensing the urgency in his boss' voice, Ianto did as told. In eight minutes seventeen seconds, Ianto was standing outside his apartment building, waiting for Jack. As he stood there, he wondered what this was about. Jack said it was work but wasn't he on suspension at the moment? If Jack needed help, he could ask any of the other team members, why him? Moreover, Ianto was just the support officer, or as he himself had suggested to the immortal – a butler. He was well trained as a field agent, thanks to Torchwood 1, but Jack had shown no indication of knowing about that ever. It was his secret, a secret he knew he would have to disclose very soon, but as for now, no one knew his actual position in Torchwood 1. He was still in his thought process when the Torchwood SUV stopped right beside him and the door to the passenger seat flew open.

"Hop in, I'll explain on the way," Jack said, flashing his trademark grin. The Welshman sat down and fastened his seat belt as Jack raced down the streets of Cardiff. "Remember you were studying the Rift observations once and mentioned something about negative spikes?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, and you said it was just an anomaly, as long as they were under control, we didn't need to worry about them."

"Hmm... that's right but the truth is that I lied. You see, the Rift often throws off junk at us but it also tries to set its mistakes right. However, the problem is that it takes away things, _and people_, that it is not meant to take away. So, whenever there is a negative rift spike, it means that something is carried away from the earth, taken across the universe and then returned back. I do not pretend to understand what happens, but what I do know is that the returned people aren't themselves anymore. Some stare into the centre of the universe, some age by a few decades within a few minutes, some witness the end of the earth; but what is common with everyone is that they return damaged. When I took over Torchwood, I took the responsibility of giving them proper shelter and care, at least to as many of them as I could find. I created a den for them at Flat Holm Island. Presently, there are 14 people there. Today, another spike occurred. I was on my way there and thought I would take you along," Jack finished.

"Okay," Ianto said slowly as he processed the information. "But there wasn't any information about the shelter in the archives, nothing unaccountable in the financial reports, nothing!"

"That's because I didn't want anyone knowing about it. Often people don't understand this kind of a thing, when I started the project, I had included one of the team mates, Edward, but he was so freaked out by the whole thing that he refused to help, took Retcon to forget the visit to one of the – er – residents. The thing is that we are used to dealing with aliens shit everyday but when it comes to human beings, we still want to experience normality when we interact with a human. So it becomes difficult to accept that there exists a little girl whose pupils are always dilated, no matter what, or a man who sleeps 72 hours in one go and then wakes up for the next 72," Jack explained, keeping his eyes on the road. "As for the financial records, there is nothing there as all the funding comes from my personal account. Flat Holm Facility is run by Captain Jack Harkness as a person, not by the leader of Torchwood."

"Then why are you telling me all this?"

"Because I need help. The spikes are becoming more frequent as time goes by and I cannot handle all of it alone. So, I just need a hand. Before you ask why you, it's because I believe you will be able to take it all and help me – "

"You mean I'm heartless enough to be able to work with these people," Ianto interrupted coldly.

"No! That's not what I meant. What I mean is I've seen you deal with a lot of things. I never said you will not be affected by it. Hell, I've been doing this for over ten years but I still have my own moments, so no, I don't expect you to work emotionlessly. What we need to do is take care of these people, make them feel wanted, tell them they are not worthless and useless, we need to help them readjust to life. And according to me Ianto Jones, you are sensitive enough to handle this without being disgusted at or scared of them," Jack said, with full conviction, locking his eyes with Ianto for a moment before looking in the front again.

Ianto nodded. The rest of the time passed away silently. They picked up the boy Jack had been on his way to meet and took him to Flat Holm. The boy, Gary, looked pale white and stared blankly straight ahead of him and muttered incoherencies at intervals.

As soon as he and Jack had laid the boy on the bed in an unoccupied room and exited the room, Ianto leaned against the nearest wall and took a deep breath. He couldn't get the image of the boy out of his mind. He felt Jack's arm go around him and lead him to a sofa. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought you here," Jack said softly as he sat next to the Welshman.

"No," Ianto whispered. "Don't be sorry. I'm fine, just a bit shocked, but fine." He took a deep breath before continuing. "What... What happened to him?"

"Medically, his blood has been drained of haemoglobin, seeing he was so white, but since he's alive I would say he has been injected with some other similar substance. As for where he went, what he saw, I cannot say for sure but I can narrow it down to two planets, Jaxtorin and Traflud, both about 735 light years from the Earth. At these planets, there are big markets for body fluids of different species. Helen, the caretaker will talk to him later and I will conduct a few medical tests on him tomorrow to know what exactly happened."

"But if haemoglobin has been drained out of his blood and some other substance has been injected, can't we do the opposite?" Ianto asked, even though he knew the answer.

"No, we don't have the technology," Jack said sadly.

A while later, the Captain introduced Ianto to Helen, Jacob, the closest thing to an administrator that the facility had and a few more of the staff and the two of them headed back to Cardiff. It was around 10 p.m. by the time they returned to Ianto's place, having picked up dinner from a takeaway.

"Tomorrow onwards, you don't need to bring the dinner with you," Ianto said to Jack as he served the pasta for both of them. Jack felt something sink inside him.

"Why? I mean I've got used to our little ritual," he asked hopefully.

"We've been eating too much of takeaway, Jack. I had gone shopping today, brought some groceries as well. I'll cook dinner for both of us tomorrow onwards, okay?"

"Sure," Jack answered, grinning widely.


	7. Chapter 7

_So uncertain of life _  
_I don't even know where I'm going_  
_So unaware of my own self  
I can't comprehend what I'm thinking  
Love, lust, companionship  
Passion,__intimacy,__ desire  
All muddling up my mind  
Yet there is this unknown fire  
_

Ianto glanced at the clock as he placed the Manchurian on the table. Jack would be here any moment now. He wasn't sure why it was so but the Welshman had to admit that he felt a bit nervous about this dinner. He wondered if he should have refrained from deciding to cook for the two of them and continued on take-aways. _I mean I do have home-cooked breakfast and lunch_, he mused. This step seemed like a big one in direction of intimacy, an intimacy he definitely did not want. However, he wasn't even completely sure about the 'definitely'. Ianto was saved from his twisted thoughts by the door bell.

"Hey," Jack said softly as he entered the apartment. He had been here so many times by now, but today, it all seemed different. Had he been honest, Jack would have admitted that he was a tad bit nervous, but being Captain Jack Harkness, he played cool. Hanging his coat, he moved to the dining table. "Wow, this looks good," he commented truthfully.

-XxX-

Toshiko set her system to shut down after the program run as she decided to call it a night. The other two had already left; _together_, thought Tosh gravely. Jack, who was almost always there at this time was absent, as he had been since the last ten days. The Hub, which had been her shelter when her apartment felt vacant, suddenly felt very lonely, very empty. Jack's absence was a part of the reason for this, but another part was the beginning of this little 'something' between Gwen and Owen. Somewhere inside her, the Japanese girl had always known that however much she might like Owen, he could never be hers. What Owen wanted in life was a warm body to hold on to, nothing more while she would never allow herself to be used like that.

A piece of her also felt like bitching about their new team member, even though she knew it was wrong. But how could anyone ignore the fact that Gwen was in a supposedly healthy relationship with her boyfriend and was at the same moment ready to 'have fun' with her colleague. Nevertheless, having been taught by her mother not to criticise anyone, Tosh pushed these thoughts aside and prepared to leave.

-XxX-

Owen guided a slightly intoxicated Gwen towards his master bedroom, kissing her on the way. Pushing her against the door, he started to unbutton her shirt while Gwen's fingers worked to pull off his Tee-shirt. He stopped for a moment as he wondered if what he was doing was right. Gwen was a co-worker, a committed one to top that. But then, when had he cared if he was right ever since Katie...

Pushing all thoughts out of his mind, Owen went on to suck the Welshwoman's neck and did what he did best – numb out his feelings in the fire of passion.

-XxX-

"The food was awesome, Ianto," Jack complimented. Ianto mumbled a small thanks as he proceeded to clear the dishes. The Captain started to help him out but Ianto stopped him. "I'll manage," he said with a small smile. Letting Jack help him with the cleaning seemed too domestic. _Wait! Why am I thinking that way? There is nothing between us so there is no question of it being..whatever...We are just friends_, Ianto explained to himself, trying in vain to resolve the conflict raging inside him.

After placing the dishes in the dishwasher, Ianto asked Jack if he would like a coffee.

"Sure, wouldn't miss your magic brew for anything in the world," Jack answered, smiling his 1000 watt smile.

-XxX-

Toshiko lay down in bed and wondered why Gwen and Owen's relationship was troubling her so much. His previous one night stands hadn't mattered to her at all then why now? Maybe it was the fact that earlier, she had convinced herself that Owen did not want a relationship at work as it would complicate things but now Gwen being a co-worker, she couldn't help but hope. She still remembered that kiss last Christmas. It was due to the mistletoe but a girl can dream.

-XxX-

Gwen wasn't sure if she should really be here right now but as Owen thrust into her, all her doubts gave way to pleasure. She felt brilliant and felt like she would have an awesome orgasm in quite a long time. Rhys loved her, yes he did but that was it. He was a great boyfriend, but not so good a lover. With him, sex was always the same, nothing new, nothing adventurous but Gwen knew she deserved more. She knew she was lucky to have Rhys; her friends were always complaining about the dearth of faithful men but on the other hand, she also wanted to have fun. She couldn't spend the rest of her life tied down to a man who could never ever make her tingle with his touches, who could never arouse her by a mere look; no, she couldn't. She would hold on to him but she couldn't let him hold her down.

The guilt would come but that would be in the morning. For now, she just wanted to lose herself and forget what the world was all about.

-XxX-

"So, I was thinking we could do a bit of renovation in the building. Being in the basement, it can feel too claustrophobic sometimes, so you know, just a bit of this and that, here and there, so we could get some sunlight to enter," Ianto suggested.

At first, Jack merely smiled at the idea. Just a few hours at Flat Holm and Ianto had already processed the entire building and living conditions and here he was giving his proposals for improvement. That was just like the Ianto he had come to know over these days, always there to help. "Definitely. I think we can go review the place once again and have some work started. Helen would love that," he said in reply.

Ianto felt a hint of pride in the Captain's eyes and voice and his own heart swelled but so did one other part of his anatomy. This friendship was going to be more difficult that he thought.


	8. Chapter 8

_My lover's gone, his boots no longer by my door_  
_ He left at dawn, as I slept I felt him go_  
_ Returns no more, I will not watch the ocean_  
_ My lover's gone, no earhly ship will ever bring him home again_  
_ My lover's gone, I know that kiss will be my last_  
_ No more his song, the tune upon his lips has passed_  
_ I sing alone, while I watch the ocean_  
_ My lover's gone, no earthly shps will ever bring him home again,_  
_ Bring him home again_

_(By Dido)  
_

Jack smiled as he saw Helen fuss over Ianto.

"It's just a little cut, Helen," Ianto pleaded but there was no way to get out of the woman's mothering. Jack had been subjected to it a few times and by now, he knew better than to even get a paper cut if Helen was around.

"Shut up and let me fix it up. You ain't roaming around here without a dressing on that wound of yours. We've got hell of an army of infections here. So you close your mouth and let me do my thing. You get that boy?" Helen admonished and Ianto nodded meekly, then proceeding to look at Jack with a help-me-save-me look while all the Captain did was shrug and smirk.

As Ianto waited for his dressing, Jack roamed around, thinking of how much this place had changed in the last two weeks. It no more was the gloomy dungeon that Jack had been used to. Rather, now the place looked like a lively hostel for the inhabitants. There was new paint job on the walls – Ianto had insisted on doing it with the help of the staff and a few residents who were able enough by now. There were new linens, a recreation room and even something close to a therapy section, which Helen was too happy to run – helping the people to adjust to life at the facility and deal with the horrors they had seen. Ianto had even found a cleaner, God knows how! The only catch was that the rooms were to be vacated as the girl was not told about the kind of facility that they ran but other than that, she did a good work. The rest of the staff were all people who had a loved one here or who had lost someone to the rift but had not got them back.

Jack knew he was not wrong in trusting Ianto again.

-XxX-

Ianto folded the dress and neatly placed it in the carton he meant to take to the donation centre the next day. Tears swelled in his eyes as he put away the dress. Lisa had worn that dress the day he had taken her to meet Darren and Christie, his best friends from the university. Having distanced himself from his family long ago, these two were all the family he'd had, except Lisa, of course. He made a mental note to call them and also plan to meet up this weekend, if possible.

However, even the thought of meeting his friends again could not distract the Welshman from the memory of his beloved Lisa, her smile, the spark in her eyes; he didn't think he could ever forget it. H knew he would have to move on someday but today was not that day. No, today was not that day; Ianto was sure of it as he held the dress close to his heart and cried.

-XxX-

"Where's Jack?" Gwen asked Owen as she looked around for the Captain.

"I don't know," Owen replied nonchalantly, used to his boss' usual disappearances.

"What do you mean? Owen, he' s been gone for like four hours now! And you don't even seem to care!"

"Hey hey, it's Jack! He does this often, just needs some personal time for himself, ya know. He isn't here for the 9 to 5 job like us. He stays here, all day all night, working up on the rift and everything, calling us up if needed. He does need a break sometimes."

"But we are his team, we should know! We have the right!" _I have the right._

"There's nothing that you, or us for that matter, _need_ to know Gwen," Toshiko said. "It's just what you want to know. Jack doesn't go around asking us who we are going out with, where we go after we leave the hub or anything so he does deserve the same from us."

"Yeah, whatever," Gwen muttered, not intending to let it go. She was sure Jack would confide into her, if she asked him.

-XxX-

Tosh wondered why Gwen just couldn't leave things as they were. Maybe she didn't realize that Jack flirted with almost anyone. A smile and an offhand compliment and Gwen Cooper considered herself the muse of Captain Jack Harkness. Hell, two men weren't enough for her. She wanted an entire platoon for herself!

_Oh, come on it's none of your business_, Toshiko reasoned with herself. Gwen could do whatever she wanted; it really wasn't her matter but sometimes the ex-policewoman did get to her nerves.

-XxX-

"You started unpacking, I see," Jack commented as he removed his coat and looked around. There were fresh flowers in a vase on the dining table, some show pieces and a few photo frames on display. Most of them were of Ianto with a blonde guy and a redheaded girl, both who seemed his age. Probably from the university, he guessed, as Ianto seemed quite younger.

"That's Darren, and this is Christina," Ianto pointed to the people in the photograph, sneaking up from behind Jack. "Friends from the Uni."

Jack smiled and nodded. Looking at the others, he noticed one photograph that did not picture these three. It was a more recent snapshot, of Ianto with a couple who seemed to be a few years older than him and two kids. "Who's this?" he asked.

"My sister. Rhiannon," the Welshman replied. "That's her husband Jonathan and their children David and Mica."

"You never said you had a sister," Jack said.

"It never came up. Moreover, we aren't that close. This one is from before the Canary Wharf battle, I think I only met her once after that," Ianto took the frame from Jack and looked at it for a while.

"Where does she live?"

"Here, in Cardiff itself."

"Then you should go visit her, Ianto. Family is important; you need to have a life outside Torchwood if you can."

"How can I, Jack? How can I? It's difficult, the lies I have to tell, the pretences I have to keep in front of my own sister. Plus, we grew apart quite long ago. Even before I joined Torchwood."

There was an awkward silence before Ianto suddenly declared that dinner was ready. In a few minutes, they were back to their usual conversations about sports and weather and aliens.

However, as Jack left for the night, he turned back to say, "Think about it Ianto, about visiting your sister."

-XxX-

Ianto was slightly nervous as he rang the doorbell.

"Yes, yes I will do that, Travis," he heard his sister's voice coming closer, probably speaking on the phone. "Yeah, I understand that I –" Rhiannon Davies stopped mid sentence as she saw her little brother standing at her door. "I- I will call you later, Trevor," she said, hanging up before she hugged Ianto tightly.

"Uh – I guess you're glad to see me?" Ianto joked as he released himself from his sister's grip and started breathing again.

"Hell, yeah, I am you twat. Come in," she said, still overwhelmed. "Come in!"

-XxX-


	9. Chapter 9

Ianto was glad that he had taken Jack's advice. _He's a better man than he's given credit for_, Ianto thought as he glanced at his niece and nephew sitting close to him, watching cartoons. Rhiannon entered, with coffee for Ianto and herself and milk for the kids and sat next to him.

Yes, he was glad he came here today.

-XxX-

Jack knocked on Ianto's door, realizing that this was probably the last time he was coming here for dinner like this. Tomorrow, Ianto would be back at work and frankly, Jack didn't know where they stood – if Ianto would like to continue with, well, whatever it was that they had.

"Come in," came a voice, from the kitchen, Jack guessed. He entered and hung his coat, making his way straight to the kitchen.

"Hey."

"Hi Jack. So, how was work?"

"Pretty much usual. Not much activity, though." As Jack looked at Ianto standing there in front of him, he couldn't resist anymore. It was the last day of Ianto's suspension, he might never have another chance. So, Jack did what he did best – stopped thinking and acted. In a single stride, he covered the distance between him and Ianto. His lips touched Ianto's, waiting for approval, ready for rejection. But to his surprise, Ianto pressed into him and parted his lips. Tongues swept through each other's mouths, gently but with determination. The two men let go only when the need for oxygen couldn't be controlled.

-XxX-

"So team, Ianto's coming back tomorrow," Jack stated. "I want all of you to treat him well. Don't be too over-clingy (at which he earned identical looks from Owen and Gwen) or anything but just make sure to let him know that he has friends here."

"But Jack, are you sure he's..uhmmm...safe?" Gwen voiced out her doubts.

Jack tried his best to control his anger at the question. "Yes Gwen he's completely _safe_, which you would have known had you taken the pains to visit your team-mate during his time-off."

"Oh come on it's not like he was on some holiday, grieving. He was on suspension, Jack!"

"What do you mean by that Gwen? Of course he was grieving for his ex-fiancé! But anyways, I don't want to argue over this right now. I'm getting late. You guys should also head off."

-XxX-

Straightening up his tie and glancing at the mirror for the third time in the last five minutes, Ianto finally decided that he looked fine. He just wished he could get rid of this fluttering feeling inside his stomach. It had been a month since he had been to the Hub. At last, the suspension was over . Not that he hadn't had anything to do at home in the bygone month. He had sorted out his apartment, had had visited Flat Holm island regularly and also had a chance to know his colleagues better – Jack, Owen and Tosh, at the least. Gwen had never seemed to have the time to drop by even once but he understood.

Gwen had been a policewoman. She had probably seen her co-workers being suspended every now and then, for her Torchwood was just a job that paid well, not unlike the Special Ops that she used as her cover story. Not that he thought she wasn't dedicated. She cared, she wanted to help people but for her, tracking down a weevil was the same as finding a criminal. So what if the murderer was a human or an alien, she seemed to take it in the same way; as if hanging on to something that defined normal for her.

The others, on the other hand, were just as broken as he was. So, they understood his state; none of them had many people they were holding on to. All they had was each other and he knew that they cared, in a slightly twisted way but yes, they cared. Come to think of it, even before the recent incidents, they had been on a look out for each other. Owen made sure to crack a joke as he mended someone's bones, he was too scared to share their fears but he made sure to have them leave with a smile; or at least make a remark that guaranteed a retort making the other person forget the pain, if only for a moment. Tosh made sure pass a sweet smile whenever she could. As for Jack, Ianto knew that even though the immortal was afraid to show his feelings, he cared about the team as if they were family. He had seen an example in the past few days, when Jack, instead of abandoning him, helped him cope up. Even Suzie had cared for each of them in her own way, always looking out for them.

They might not have anyone close on the outside but Torchwood 3 themselves were a family. With this warm thought, Ianto picked up his keys and headed for the Hub.

-XxX-

Jack looked out of his office as soon as the sirens blazed through the Hub. He couldn't deny that he was a tad bit disappointed to see Toshiko enter through the cog door.

"Hello there, good morning, you're early" he said smiling at the Japanese woman as she settled in front of her workstation.

"Good morning Jack. I had to finish up a program that I couldn't complete last night," she replied. Jack smiled adoringly. It was so like Tosh to be excited about a computer program. "By the way, you seem quite cheerful today," the girl remarked.

"Oh yeah, today is the end of the crappy Starbucks coffee," he grinned. "Finally we will get some good caffeine doses."

As if on cue, the cog-door rolled open to reveal a slightly nervous Ianto Jones. "Good morning sir, Tosh," he said with an uncertain smile.

"Good morning Ianto. It's really nice to see you back," Tosh replied cheerfully.

"Yep, back to Torchwood, back in a suit," Jack added with his trademark Harkness grin and a wink.

"Harassment sir," was all the young man said as he proceeded towards his coffee machine.

-XxX-

Owen nodded as Ianto handed him his coffee. It was nice to see the Welshman back. "Hey mate I'm going to need to do some physicals on you. Just the basics, but anyhow come up whenever you are free."

"Yeah, right," Ianto replied warmly, knowing full well that this was the closest thing to a hearty welcome that Owen could give him.

-XxX-

"Your coffee, Gwen."

"Oh Ianto! You're back," Gwen gushed as she took her coffee. "It's so nice to see you. Are you okay, pet? You know if you need to talk about anything, I'm always here."

"Yeah sure Gwen, thanks," Ianto said weakly, glad that the paperwork in Gwen's lap had prevented her from getting up and hugging him.


	10. Chapter 10

"Ianto," Jack said softly, as the Welshman started to leave his office after handing the captain's coffee to him.

"Yes sir?" Jack was disappointed to see that Ianto was back to calling him sir – he'd hoped that the suspension time had changed their relationship – but he said nothing about it.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine. Feels a bit strange to be back after so long, after – but it's good," Ianto replied, giving a small smile. "Though you guys could have been more careful while getting files from the archives," he added humorously.

"Well..." Jack said sheepishly. "I tried my best to put the files from where I took them and told the others the same, but it didn't work that well – we were always quite confused – I mean none of us was used to getting files on our own, ever since you joined. So – uhmm – in the end, we just decided to leave the files we used in a separate place, so that at least you wouldn't have to look for files in the wrong places."

"That's – that's really thoughtful," Ianto said sincerely before leaving.

-XxX-

"Yes Rhys, I remember but I really don't think I'll be able to come home at time tonight, I've got lots of workload – please Rhys, love, I promise I'll make up for it. I'll cook up your mum's favourite pancakes tomorrow morning – got to go now _cariad_. See you soon," Gwen hung up, tired of having this conversation with her boyfriend. Why didn't he realize that she hated his mum!

In fact, she was glad, now that Rhys knew that she was staying late and the rift seemed quiet, maybe she could have a quickie with Owen before leaving.

-XxX-

Owen was tired. He looked up from his computer screen only to see Gwen looking at him, gesturing for something that looked like _Let's fuck tonight_. Okay, maybe Gwen's version was less crass but the basic meaning was same because that was all it was – for Owen and, he believed, for Gwen as well. She had her boyfriend for the emotional couple stuff. Owen was just a good fuck.

He wondered if he was doing the right thing – he seemed to be doing that quite often now – the wondering, mind you, not right things. Gwen was a co-worker. If Jack came to know, if he didn't already, he would – to tell the truth, Owen didn't know what Jack would say. But somehow, he wasn't sure that Jack would be too proud. He'd had a long chat with Jack once, about fucking just anyone – meaning anyone from any bar – all Jack had said to him about it was to be careful with the protection against STDs. Owen knew Jack had his share of one-night stands and for reasons not too dissimilar from his – not being strong enough to love again. But sex with Gwen – he didn't think Jack would approve – and disappointing the captain was not something Owen wanted to do. The man had been his sole support when he lost Katie – like an elder brother and Owen didn't want to ever break this man's faith in him.

He wished he could just go to Jack and talk about this but he knew he wouldn't. He would continue with this affair for a while – for as long as he and Gwen could take it. He knew he wasn't emotionally attracted to Gwen and he never would be – so that was it.

-XxX-

Toshiko sat at her workstation, lost in codes and mathematics. This was something she understood, something that would never break her heart – unlike the exchange between Gwen and Owen that she just caught sight of.

So she did what she did best – she programmed and immersed herself in the deep pool of knowledge.

-XxX-

Jack spotted Ianto in the archives through the CCTV and made his way towards the young man.

"Hey Ianto," he almost breathed into the Welshman's ear as he stood behind him, his chest pressed flush against Ianto's back. Ianto turned around, his lips instantly reaching for Jack's. His tongue explored through the cracks and crevices of Jack's mouth as the Captain's hands came around him kneading his ass. They could feel each other's erection against their hips. Clothes were quickly discarded – the two men dissolving in the fire of passion.

"That was – " Jack whispered as he picked up his clothes.

"Not bad," said Ianto winking at the Captain as he grabbed his pants.

**A/N: **Hey guys. So that's the end of the fic. Thanks a ton to all those who stuck with me till the end, despite all my erratic and delayed updates. Hope you liked this chapter as well. I think I might be starting another story soon, but nothing planned yet. And well, just review :)


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